Register mechanism for gas-meters.



PATENTED MAY 31, 1904.

J. 0. GOODALE, R. REGISTER MECHANISM FOR GAS METERS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 2. 1902.

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PATENTED MAY 31, 1904.

' J. 0. GOODALE, JR. REGISTER MECHANISM FOR GAS METERS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 2, 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented. May 31, 1904.

PATENT OF ICE.

REGISTER MECHANISM FOR GAS-METERS.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 761,163, dated May 31, 1904.

Application filed October 2, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Serial No. 104,454, and is in some respects animprovement thereon.

In the construction of gas-meters it has been found difiicult to provide a satisfactory and effective straight reading register. mechanism: The register mechanisms as now used have broad dials with hands, the first dial indicating hundreds, the second thousands, the third ten-thousands, and so on. As the hands move across the face of the dial they do not point to the figures on the dial with absolute accuracy, and very often misreading in the meter occurs as, for. example, if there is a misreading on the tens-of-thousands dial it amounts to a mistake of ten thousand feet of gas. 7 It is therefore desirable to produce a register mechanism for use in gas-meters and the like in which there is always a positive indication of the numbers to be read.

The register mechanism of a gas-meter must be very simple and comparatively inexpensive to produce; otherwise, owing to the necessary limitation on the cost of the meter, it cannot be employed.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved register mechanism which will move the different dials or indicators step by step, each step corresponding to one of the divisions of the dial or scale.

Another object is to provide in a register mechanism of the class described an improved governing means to prevent over-registration.

A further object is to simplify the construction of the register mechanism for gas-meters and the like, so that it will not be liable to Serial No. 125,610. (No model.)

get out of repair and shall be economical to produce.

Further objects will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by 5 5 the devices and means described in the following specification.

The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a gasmeter embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail front elevation view of my improved register mechanism and a portion. of the frame with the dial-plate and dialsre- 7o moved, showing the arrangement of the parts, the position of certain parts being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a plan view of my improved register mechanism. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation view of my improved register mechanism with a portion of the frame removed to show the arrangement of the parts,

the position of certain parts being indicated by dotted lines. Fig.6 is a detail cross-sec tional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section-lines, and. similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. 8 5- Referring to the drawings, A represents the casing of the meter, A the operating-gear, and A the tumbling-rod or connection to the registering mechanism. These'parts are of any desired or usual construction. v

The tumbling-rod A is connected to the shaft C of the register mechanism. Mounted upon the shaft D is the cog-wheel D, arranged to mesh with the cog-wheel C, carried by the shaft C. Mounted upon the shaft E; is the cog-wheel E, arranged to, mesh with the cog-wheel D, carried by the shaft D, which completes this train of gears. The

shafts G, D, and E are mounted in a suitable frame consisting of the side pieces B B, united I by suitable pillars. A lever G, having a weight G on its free end, is pivotally mounted at G. The lever G is slotted at E to receive the shaft E, which permits its movement up and down. On the side of the lever G facing the cog-wheel E is a projecting lug e, which is arranged to be engaged by the projecting pin 6, carried by the wheel, as the wheel is revolved, so that the lever is raised by the revolution of the Wheel, and as the revolution of the wheel is continued the pin passes from under the lug and permits the lever to fall.

Pivotally secured to the lever G at m is a weighted pawl m. Mounted upon theshaft F, arranged below the lever E, are ratchetwheels 72. a. The ratchet-wheel n is arranged in position to be engaged by the pawl m. and is rotated thereby as the lever E is moved up and down. The ratchet-wheel a is arranged oppositely to the ratchet-wheel n... Ratchetteeth z" are formed on the lever G and arranged to coact with the ratchet-wheels a w to form an escapement therefor.

By this arrangement of parts the lever'E is carried upward by the projecting pin 0 on the cog-wheel E engaging the lug 6', carried by the lever. As the lever is raised the weighted pawl m engages the teeth of the ratchet-Wheel 91 and as the revolution of the wheel E is continued the pin passes from under the lug a and allows the lever to fall, which revolves the shaft one step.

The ratchet-teeth on the ratchet-wheels a a are oppositely arranged, so that the ratchettooth t' is in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel a when the lever E is in its normal position.

A number-wheel train consisting of the gear f f f, mounted on the shafts F F F", respectively, is provided, the usual cogs being provided to give a step-by-step movement in transferring from one wheel to another. A tension-spring L is arranged to. engage the shafts F F F to serve as a brake or to put friction on the same, so that while the shafts may be revolved freely there is sufficient resistance to prevent their being thrown more than one step.

Suitable number-dials it it it are carried by the shafts F-F' F", respectively. A dial-plate I is arranged outside of these dials and is provided with openings throughwhich but one figure on each of the dial-plates is visible at a time. The dials are suitably marked to represent hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands. An index 0 is carried by the shaft C to register feet for testing the meter or determining its movement on small amounts of gas. It is customary to add the necessary ciphers on the face of the dial-plate I, as the first dial-plate represents hundreds.

\Vith the dial so arranged it is impossible to misread the meter, the reading of the same being what is termed straight. For

is claimed as new,'and desired example, a meter as shown in'Fig. 1 would read twenty-five thousand feet.

From the foregoing description of the arrangement of the parts of my improved registering mechanism for gas-meters its operation will clearly appear. I have illustrated my improved registering mechanism with the lever G weighted to control its movement, as by this means its action is always the same and is not liable to vary, as would occur where springs are used, as it is found that springs are weakened and destroyed by the action of the gas which comes in contact with the same.

It is intended that the weight G should be only suflicient to insure positive action of the device, and it is apparent that when this is once adjusted there is no variation and that there is substantially no liability of the parts getting out of repair. The structure would, however, be entirely practical with suitable springs substituted, as it is very simple in its arrangement.

I have illustrated and described my improved registering mechanism in the form preferred by me on account of its simplicity in construction and durability in use. I am aware, however, that it is capable of considerable variation without departing from my invention. Such variations being readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains will not be pointed out herein.

Having thus described the invention, what to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a register mechanism for gas-meters, the combination of a suitable frame; a wheel having a laterally-projecting pin 0, suitable connections for said wheel to the meter mechanism; a pivoted lever Gr having a weight G on its free end to return it to its initial position; a lug 6 arranged to be engaged by said pin as said wheel revolves; oppositelyarranged ratchet-wheels a 02/," a pawl m carried by said lever arranged to engage the said ratchet-wheel 10, whereby it is revolved with a step-by-step movement; teeth v on said lever arranged to coact with said ratchetwheels to form an escapement therefor; and a train of number-wheels provided with suitable dials having a step-by-step movement, driven by said ratchet-wheels, for the purpose specified.

2. In a register mechanism for gas-meters, the combination of a suitable frame; a wheel having a laterally-projecting pin 6; suitable connections for said wheel to the meter mechanism; a pivoted lever G; a lug (3 arranged to be engaged by said pin as said wheel revolves; oppositely-arranged ratchet-wheels a n; a pawl m carried by said lever arranged to engage said ratchet-wheel 11, whereby it is revolved with astep-by-stcp movement; teeth e' e" on said lever arranged to coact with said ratchet-wheels to form an escapement therefor; and a train of number-wheels provided with suitable dials having a step-by-step movement driven by said ratchet-Wheels, for the purpose specified.

3. In a register mechanism, the combination of a suitable frame; a wheel having a projecting pin thereon; suitable connections for said wheel to the meter mechanism; a pivoted weighted lever arranged to be engaged by said pin as the wheel revolves; a ratchetwheel; a pawl carried by said lever adapted to engage said ratchet-wheel, whereby the same is revolved with a step-by-step movement; teeth on said lever arranged to engage said ratchet-wheel to form an escapement therefor; and a train of number-wheels provided with suitable dials having a step-bystep movement driven by said ratchet-wheel, for the purpose specified.

4. In a register mechanism, the combination of a suitable frame; a wheel having a projecting pin thereon; suitable connections for said Wheel to the meter mechanism; apivoted lever arranged to be engaged by said pin as the wheel revolves; means for automatically returning the said lever to its initial position; a ratchet-wheel; a pawl carried by said lever adapted to engage said ratchet-wheel whereby the same is revolved with a step-by-step movement; teeth on said lever arranged to engage the said ratchet-wheel to form an escapement therefor; and a train of number-wheels provided with suitable dials having a step-bystep movement driven by said ratchet-wheel, for the purpose specified.

5. In a register mechanism for gas-meters, the combination of a-suitable frame; a wheel having a projecting pin thereon; suitable connections for said wheel to the meter mechanism; a pivotedlever adapted to be engaged by said pin as the wheel revolves; means for antomatically returning said lever to its initial position; a ratchet-wheel; connections from said lever to said ratchet-wheel whereby the same is revolved with a step-by-step move ment; an escapement mechanism for said ratchet-wheel carried by said lever; and a train of number-wheels driven by said ratchetwheel.

6. In a register mechanism for gas-meters, the combination of a suitable frame; a wheel having a lug thereon; connections from said Wheel to the meter mechanism; a pivoted lever adapted to engage said lug as the wheel revolves; a train of suitable number-wheels, an escapement, and connections from said said number-wheel train is driven with a stepby-step movement, for the purpose specified.

7 The combination of a gas-meter; a register mechanism; a ratchet in said register mechanism; a means for storing power as a weight connected with the actuating part of lever to said number-wheel train whereby the meter to deliver power to the ratchet; a

release mechanism for liberating the power at proper intervals to operate the register mechanism and an escapement to control the same by a step-by-step movement.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ORANDALL GOODALE, JR. [n 3.]

Witnesses:

ETHEL A. TELLER, Orrs A. EARL. 

